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Region 6 Mark of Excellence Awards winners announced in Bloomington, Minn.
Contacts:
Matthew Kent, SPJ Program Coordinator, 317-920-4788, mkent@spj.org
Jennifer Royer, SPJ Director of Communications and Marketing, 317-361-4134, jroyer@spj.org
INDIANAPOLIS The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 6 with 2018 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.
SPJs Region 6 comprises Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Honorees received award certificates the weekend of April 13 at the Region 6 Conference. First-place winners will compete at the national level among other regional MOE winners from the 12 SPJ regions.
National winners will be notified in the late spring and will be recognized at the Excellence in Journalism conference in San Antonio.
MOE Awards entries are judged by professionals with at least three years of journalism experience. Judges were directed to choose entries they felt were among the best in student journalism. If no entry rose to the level of excellence, no award was given. Any category not listed has no winner.
School divisions are based on student enrollment, including both graduate and undergraduate: Large schools have at least 10,000 students and small schools have 9,999 or fewer students.
The list below details all Region 6 winners. If you have any questions regarding the MOE Awards, contact Matthew Kent via email or phone at 317-920-4788.
This list reflects the spelling and titles submitted in the award entries.
Newspapers
Breaking News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Wisconsin Supreme Court rules in McAdams favor by Morgan Hughes and Clara Janzen, Marquette University
Finalist: Car crashes into Al McGuire Center, no injuries reported by John Steppe and Clara Janzen, Marquette University
General News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Sexual harassment on campus by Staff of Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Finalist: Students call attention to universitys alleged investments in Puerto Rican debt by Sydney Czyzon, Marquette University
Finalist: LIMO employees raise concerns about university restrictions on hours by Sydney Czyzon and Natalie St. Onge, Marquette University
General News Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 students
Winner: On border road, a barrier to entry marks a changing way of life by Alexandre Silberman, St. Thomas University
Finalist: Despite promises, some memory care residents are told to leave by Alexandre Silberman, St. Thomas University
In-Depth Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Wild admits knowledge of clergy abuse allegations by Morgan Hughes, Marquette University
Finalist: Reclaiming death: Women in the death industry by Catie Middleton, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
In-Depth Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 students
Winner: The shortfall by Maddie DeBilzan, Jasmine Johnson and Maddie Christy, Bethel University
Feature Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: The village that flipped back by Royce Podeszwa and Derek Grant, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Feature Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Loss of sight, gained vision by Bri Shaw, Jamie Hudalla, Carlo Holmberg and Kendall Soderstrom, Bethel University
General Column Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Aminah Beg, Marquette University
Finalist: Matthew Harte, Marquette University
Sports Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Two Marquette coaches connected through local adoption by Zoe Comerford, Marquette University
Sports Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Inspiring Dragon pride: MSUMs hype-man by Griffin Nelson, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Editorial Writing
Winner: Marquette Wire Editorial Board, Marquette University
Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: The Daily Cardinal by Staff of The Daily Cardinal, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Best All-Around Non Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: Marquette Tribune by Staff of Marquette Tribune, Marquette University
Finalist: The University Times by Staff of The University Times, Trinity College Dublin
Magazines
Non-Fiction Magazine Article
Winner: The buzz on bees by Sofia Biros, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Finalist: Home is where the road is Berklee Klauck, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Finalist: What it feels like to be at 13% - by Sydney Czyzon, Marquette University
Best Student Magazine
Winner: Curb: FEARless by Staff of Curb: FEARless, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Finalist: The University Times Magazine by Staff of The University Times, Trinity College Dublin
Finalist: Marquette Wire: Journal by Staff of Marquette Wire: Journal, Marquette University
Art/Graphics
Feature Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: St. Thomas celebrates color-filled Holi by Esmee Verschoor, University of St. Thomas
Finalist: Curb: FEARless by Emilie Enke, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Finalist: Faces of Somali immigration in Barron by Aubryana Bowen and Talis Shelbourne, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Feature Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Photo gallery: Hoco by Katie Viesselman and Sierra Smith, Bethel University
Finalist: Loss of sight, gained vision by Carlo Holmberg, Bethel University
General News Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Faces of the gun divide by Staff of Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Sports Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Successful set by Andrew Himmelberg, Marquette University
Finalist: Howard looks to become elite rebounder by Jordan Johnson, Marquette University
Finalist: World of water polo by Andrew Himmelberg, Marquette University
Sports Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Caught in action by Carlo Holmberg, Bethel University
Radio
Best All-Around Radio Newscast
Winner: Wire Weekly by Lucie Sullivan, Marquette University
Radio Feature
Winner: Choosing abortion: Honest reflections on a private decision by Alexis Amenson, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Finalist: Mother-daughter team hits the road for spring break by Sabrina Johnkins, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Finalist: Chili cook off at MSUM by Rollie Dethloff, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Radio News Reporting
Winner: Voices of the gun march: Young and old by Lauren Keene, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Finalist: Dont break a leg! by Lucie Sullivan, Marquette University
Radio Sports Reporting
Winner: The Sports Library reads into the 2018 NFL Draft by Jonathan Fortier, Parker Reed and Seth Abrahamson, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
Finalist: NDSCS Football by Madison Nelson-Gira, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Radio In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Dairy industry threatened by recent ICE arrests by Taylor Pomasl, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
Finalist: Dead mall shadowed by murderous history by Lauren Keene, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Finalist: UWO crime statistics by Joseph Schulz, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh
Television
Television Breaking News Reporting
Finalist: Level 3 sex offender in St. Cloud by Nick Maxson, St. Cloud State University
Television General News Reporting
Winner: Police seize cameras by Larson Seaver, Marquette University
Finalist: Expand your horizons by Leah Backstrom, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Finalist: Smashing stereotypes by Leah Backstrom, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Television Feature Reporting
Winner: Blessed The Isaiah Westfall story by Joe Scarella, St. Cloud State University
Finalist: Marine biology lab by Tyler Ziegler, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Finalist: Fluffy therapy by Lucie Sullivan and Abdallah Alqaoud, Marquette University
Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: The uncomfortable truth by Amelia Jones, Larson Seaver, Tara Schumal and Matt Unger, Marquette University
Finalist: Homegrown: From farm to Fargo by Zac Hoffner and Branson Reasor, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Erin Fons dives in by Aaron Simmons, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Finalist: MSUM rock climbing by Sara Erickson, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: UTVS News by Mitchell Barnhart, Bre Saunders and Kendra Lee, St. Cloud State University
Online
Online News Reporting
Winner: Generation lockdown: Gun march 2018 by Staff of Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Finalist: Students, administration react to third racial slur on campus in three years by Samantha Hoanglong, Soveig Rennan, Noah Brown and Emily Sweeney, University of St. Thomas
Finalist: Video of county bus crash released by Clara Janzen, Marquette University
Online Feature Reporting
Winner: Welcome to Barron by Staff of Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Finalist: A matter of life and death by Sofia Biros, Cathleen Draper and Logan Rude, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Online In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Wisconsin votes (or not): High stakes for the 2018 midterms by Staff of Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Finalist: Food insecurity in northern Canada by Julie de Meulemeester, McGill University
Finalist: Americas dairyland in danger by Elizabeth Sloan, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Online Sports Reporting
Winner: Cinmeon Bowers gets chance to play for the home team with Golden Eagles alumni by John Steppe, Marquette University
Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: Marquette Wire by Staff of Marquette Wire, Marquette University
Finalist: The Advocate by Staff of The Advocate, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Finalist: Curb: FEARless by Staff of Curb: FEARless, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: Media Milwaukee by Staff of Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Finalist: TommieMedia by Staff of TommieMedia.com, University of St. Thomas
Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: The blue issue by Aly Prouty, Tara Schumal and Gabrielle Powell, Marquette University
Finalist: St. Thomas community expresses outrage, anger during sit-in by Samantha Hoanglong, Noah Brown and Emily Sweeney, University of St. Thomas
Podcast
Winner: Sidebar: Cannabis legalization in New Brunswick by Alexandre Silberman and Isabelle Leger, St. Thomas University
Finalist: The Avalancheros by Ian Schrank, Marquette University
Videography
Online/Digital News Videography
Winner: Boundary Waters mining battle by Charlie Siddons, University of St. Thomas
Online/Digital Feature Videography
Winner: Under-Told Stories Project videographer shares stories from 20 years on the job by Deborah Honore, University of St. Thomas
Finalist: UWM Desi Student Association celebrates Holi by John Fennimore, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Online/Digital Sports Videography
Winner: Bethel University Football playoff promo by Bri Shaw, Ally ONail and Jared Martinson, Bethel University
Broadcast Feature Videography
Winner: Give Kids a Smile Day by Sarah Erickson, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Finalist: Marine biology lab by Branson Reasor, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Broadcast Sports Videography
Winner: MSUM Rock Climbing - by Zac Hoffner, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Finalist: Erin Fons Dives In - by Zac Hoffner, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Finalist: NDSU Women and Girls Sports Day - by Branson Reasor, Minnesota State University Moorhead
SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund, or give to the SPJ Foundation.
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